


Bittersweet

by midorihaven



Series: 100 SJ Fic Challenge [4]
Category: Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Not Beta Read, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-24
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-02 10:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midorihaven/pseuds/midorihaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yesung never planned on falling in love, but sometimes love runs straight into you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Autumn

**Author's Note:**

> (Prequel to: [ Love is a Lie](http://archiveofourown.org/works/337886), but both stories can stand alone)  
> written for 100 SJ Fic Challenge (4/100)  
> #21 - park benches: Yesung/Kyuhyun

Yesung always wore headphones so he could drown out the rest of the world. He just didn't want to hear it: all the gossip, all the whispering, all the speculation. The world was just filled with mindless chatter and it was all empty. He preferred to listen to music, he preferred to sing, he preferred to daydream. Strangers always thought he was weird because of his quiet and awkward nature, but it was more indifference than anything else, he chose not to care. He came to Seoul because of his dream, he wanted to attend a famous arts university and that required attending the correct high school. Yesung had to leave his family behind and they were very supportive of his dreams, so he was determined to be independent and self-sufficient. He lived alone even though he hated it, he kept up the appearances of being a model student at school, and he was club president of the choir club. Everything he did was meticulously planned out to bring him one step closer to arts school. He shut out the rest of the world so he wouldn't be distracted from the things he needed to do, but the world is unpredictable and it threw a wrench into the perfectly organized plan that was Yesung's life.

It was the first day of the fall semester. Yesung was busy singing to himself and relishing in the cool, crisp autumn air when he felt something snag his shoulder. The strap to his backpack had unraveled and all his belongings spilled out onto the ground. He hastily scooped up the scattered books and pencils before a notebook was suddenly thrust in front of his face. Yesung looked up from the ground in annoyance, a young man with large brown eyes offered the notebook with a smile. The stranger reminded Yesung of autumn itself, the way his school uniform and maroon tie complimented his gold-streaked brunette hair was similar to fallen tree leaves that colored the season with gold, copper, and red hues. Yesung was staring up at him in stunned silence with half of his books crammed into his backpack. The student made a motion pointing to his ears and Yesung realized he still had his headphones on. He removed one ear bud and straightened himself out, still not accepting the notebook in the outstretched hand.

“I was asking if this was your notebook,” the young man had a deep voice as smooth as honey and he was about half a head taller than Yesung even though he was clearly a freshman, as his maroon tie indicated.

Yesung was mortified when he recognized his own name scribbled across the notebook cover. He accepted it with a thanks and an apologetic smile.

“You're much cuter when you smile, Yesung.”

Yesung's smile flattened into a frown as he read the name tag on the student's shoulder bag, “Cho Kyuhyun-ssi, do you always speak to your elders informally?”

“My elders?” Kyuhyun scrutinized Yesung's appearance carefully, “You couldn't be more than a second year at Garam Jr. High, right?”

“More like a second year at Neul Paran High School,” Yesung spat out with annoyance, “Your upperclassman.”

Kyuhyun stared at Yesung in disbelief. The high school junior had a soft baby face with messy raven hair and an adorable pout, he didn't look a day over twelve except for the dangerous glare in his almond- shaped eyes. “I don't believe you, unless you're a genius and you skipped some years?”

Yesung turned red in the face and fumbled with the clasps of his oversized black coat and Kyuhyun thought that a flustered Yesung was the cutest thing he had ever seen. Yesung unzipped his coat revealing the same navy blazer uniform as Kyuhyun, but with a forest green tie, he was definitely a junior. There was something about Yesung's indignant manner that made Kyuhyun want to tease him.

Kyuhyun leaned in until they made eye contact and smirked, “You're cute, let's be friends.”

Yesung resisted the urge to pound his tiny fists on the taller boy's chest, “You are the rudest person I've ever met!”

He stomped off leaving a bewildered Kyuhyun staring at his back.

Yesung was seething by the time he reached the school grounds. He yanked his locker door open and just shoved all of his belongings in unceremoniously rather than arrange things neatly. His best friend sidled up to him with a bemused smile.

“What's gotten under your skin today?”

“Some jackass thought I was a junior high student,” Yesung pouted.

Sungmin laughed and smacked Yesung on the back, “I told you that oversized jacket combined with your baby face makes you look like a kindergartener.”

Yesung shot him a look full of daggers, “Your pink jacket and puffy cheeks makes you look even younger than me!”

Sungmin shrugged, “So we're the same age, whether people believe we're 16 or 6 years old, at least we'll always have each other.”

Yesung resisted laughing, but the corners of his lips began to quirk up in a smile. He flung his jacket into his locker and three envelopes came fluttering down from the top shelf, he sighed. “How many did you get today?”

Sungmin fanned three perfumed envelopes in between his fingers, “The same.”

“Don't they ever get tired of playing these games?”

“You should feel flattered, the first day of the semester and girls are already pining over you.”

“I guess three love letters are mild, what's frightening was the last day before summer break,” Yesung shivered at the memory.

“What are you complaining about? I got buried in a mountain of candy because some crazy rumor spread that I liked lollipops.”

“But you do like lollipops.”

“Those things weighed a ton! I got bruises! I nearly lost an eye!”

“Look, a mountain of letters is no safer, I had paper cuts everywhere. Nearly scratched a cornea.”

The two friends side-eyed each other and started laughing.

“Aren't you going to say yes to anyone this year?”

“And ruin my image as a cold prince?” Yesung shook his head, “I don't have the time to waste on dating.”

Sungmin snorted, “But you do get bored and lonely easily.”

Yesung ignored the last comment, “How many are you going to say yes to this year?”

“About one a week? Until it's competition season,” Sungmin shrugged. Girls were great as long as they didn't get in the way of his martial arts team.

It was Yesung's turn to snort. “You're such a playboy.”

“Well, I do have an image to maintain and it's not like it hurts more than getting flat out rejected by you. At least I'm making an honest attempt to find love.”

“Honest? Lee Sungmin, don't you ever get nightmares about being chased down with knives by the hundreds of girls that have been dumped by you?”

Sungmin flashed puppy dog eyes at his best friend, “Why would anyone ever want to do that?”

“Gehhh, don't look at me like that! Those eyes of yours should be considered illegal weapons!” Yesung smacked Sungmin on the head. The young man's bottom lip began to quiver, “And don't waste the waterworks on me, I know you are a heartless fox.”

“Ah, Yesung-oppa, how could you ever doubt my love for you?” Sungmin whined with a high-pitched voice earning squeals from the female students in the hallway.

Yesung was about to smack Sungmin playfully again, but he was suddenly hit by something very solid, or rather it was someone very solid. Yesung stumbled backwards a few steps before large hands grasped his shoulders.

“Sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going,” a familiar voice said. “I was looking for the chemistry lab.”

Yesung looked up in surprise, it was the freshman he met that morning, “Kyuhyun-ssi, all first year classes would be on the first floor, not the second.”

Kyuhyun smiled mischievously, “Ah, I assumed there would only be one lab room on campus, my mistake.”

Kyuhyun was slowly working his thumbs in soothing circles on Yesung's shoulders, there was no indication that he planned on releasing the second year student any time soon. Yesung typically didn't like being touched and Kyuhyun's ministrations were making him uncomfortable. He slapped the younger man's hands away from him.

“The first bell is about to ring,” Yesung said stiffly. “You don't want to be late.”

Sungmin studied Kyuhyun with sharp eyes before following Yesung to their homeroom. Kyuhyun remained in the hallway and watched Yesung walk away until the older boy disappeared from view.


	2. Under the Oak Tree

Yesung was staring off into space during homeroom, it wasn't unusual for him, but Sungmin knew better. The usually indifferent Yesung was annoyed and preoccupied and Sungmin would bet his mother's homemade lunch that it had everything to do with the tall, brunette freshman. Sungmin patiently waited for break time before he bombarded Yesung with questions. The minute their history teacher stepped out of the classroom Sungmin dragged his chair over to Yesung's desk and just waited in silence. Yesung narrowed his eyes at Sungmin before turning his attention back towards the window and stared at nothing in particular.

“So that's the jackass that got under your skin this morning?”

Yesung merely glared and Sungmin knew he had hit the nail on the head.

“He didn't seem very rude, he's actually kind of cute.”

Yesung scoffed.

“So what did he do to earn your disdain anyway? You usually don't have the energy to care about anything strangers do.”

“He doesn't use honorifics when he speaks to me and he acts too familiar, in other words: he's conceited.”

“You usually don't care about honorifics,” Sungmin laughed. Yesung himself was very polite around others but he wasn't the type to care about the use of formal language. “But that freshman, I think he has a thing for you.”

“He just likes to annoy me.”

“I'm not so sure, Yesung. Have you noticed the way he watches you? You have one of the fiercest gazes in school, but he sure has an intense stare, especially when he looks at you. It's like...he wants to take a bite out of you.”

“Stop joking around Sungmin, that's just weird.”

Sungmin grinned playfully, “I think he wants you.”

Yesung's eyes widened in shock, “That's preposterous.”

“Why are you blushing?” Sungmin giggled, “It's not like you haven't had guys send you love letters before.”

Yesung kicked Sungmin's shin from underneath his desk, “It's not something to brag about. Guys eye you too.”

“Yeah, but they're less likely to make a move on me because they're afraid I'll kick their asses.”

“So, you're saying I'm easy pickings?” Yesung scowled, but it was more of a pout.

“No, I'm just saying you're cuter than you realize. I'm sure that Kyuhyun guy just wants to squish you and squeal 'hyungggggggggg'.” Sungmin wrapped his arms around himself and made kissing faces.

Yesung immediately extended a finger and jabbed Sungmin in the philtrum causing the younger man to squeal with shock.

“Don't do that! It's weird.”

“Don't be annoying then.”

Sungmin pouted. “I was just joking around~”

Yesung huffed and stared blankly out the window again.

“I don't think you despise him as much as you let on.”

Yesung chewed on his bottom lip and thought back to the first moment he saw Kyuhyun, the young man had rendered him speechless with his mere presence, but there was an air of condescension in his tone that just rubbed Yesung the wrong way.

“You're right I don't despise him.”

Sungmin smiled triumphantly.

“I don't have enough energy to care enough about a stranger to despise him.”

Sungmin frowned, “You're in denial.”

Yesung ignored his best friend's comment. To be honest, the maelstrom of emotions that swirled around in him whenever he encountered Kyuhyun was really confusing so he didn't want to think about it at the moment. Yesung raked his fingers through his dark hair, he was already stressing out about club activities as it was. Kyuhyun would just be an unwelcomed distraction in his busy schedule. He had the choir to think about and tests and scholarships to apply for, he could deal with everything else later. 

Sungmin waited for Yesung to gather his belongings once class was over.

“Now what?” Yesung asked pensively.

“Do you have choir after school?” Sungmin asked as he loosened his dark green tie and unbuttoned his navy blazer.

“I don't plan on having any meetings until rush week,” Yesung said. “The girls keep bombarding me with texts about organizing tryouts, but it's getting annoying so I said I'd just let them handle it.”

“Haha, delegating the work, nice one Mr. Club President.”

“What about the martial arts club, Captain Lee?”

“We will have practice everyday. I'm sure all those guys have been getting fat and lazy without me breathing down their necks. But I had something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“It better not be about the freshman.”

Sungmin smirked, “Why are you even thinking about him now?”

Yesung bit down on his tongue and remained silent.

“Anyways, I just wanted to remind you about the collaboration with the drama club about the musical project.”

“Ah, crap! Was that project this year?”

“I knew you'd forget,” Sungmin tossed Yesung a manuscript. “They want to do Hong Gil Dong.”

Yesung paled at the thought, “Sungmin, I already have issues with choreography, but fight scenes are impossible for me.”

“Don't worry, you have me to train you!” Sungmin smacked Yesung on the back and cackled.

“That's...just...great.”

Despite his innocent looks, Sungmin had the reputation of being a devil trainer when it came to martial arts. Yesung complained that Sungmin should just take the role himself, but the smaller boy shook his head.

“You're better suited for the image and the vocal range.” Sungmin poked Yesung in the chest, “I'm not letting you out of this. You promised to work on a musical project two semesters ago.”

Yesung started chewing on his nails, “This project is going to give me ulcers.”

“Don't worry, I won't allow you to die until the show is over.”

“Gee, what did I ever do to deserve a friend like you?”

“You're blessed, what can I say?” Sungmin winked.

Yesung was about to kick his so-called-best-friend when a girl walked into the classroom and shyly asked for Sungmin. Sungmin flashed her his brightest smile and promised to meet her on the rooftop in five minutes. The girl practically swooned with happiness and Yesung wondered if she could make it up two flights of stairs without tumbling down and breaking her neck.

“Is this one going to be your new girlfriend?” Yesung asked with a knowing smile.

“I should give her a chance, right?” Sungmin winked. “What about you? What are you going to do with those letters?”

Yesung sighed. “I'll wait for them by that damned oak tree and give them all back.”

“You should really consider saying yes to someone this year,” Sungmin said before leaving the classroom and heading towards the rooftop.

Yesung ignored Sungmin as usual, he didn't have time for love or romance, but he could at least turn these girls down properly. Yesung carefully tucked the unopened love letters into his blazer pocket and made his way down towards the old oak tree by the edge of the school's baseball field. Girls that wanted to confess to him usually waited on the two-person park bench with bashful smiles and hopeful gazes. Yesung would never open any letters and he would never say yes. He would just politely return the letters and watch the girls run off with grief stricken faces. He was getting tired of all these love games and he wondered why these girls always braved rejection.

When Yesung reached the oak tree he could already hear voices coming from the bench area that was sheltered beneath the bright red canopy of autumn leaves. He rounded the corner slowly and saw the silhouette of a girl with long braids and the standard navy blue uniform with matching plaid skirt. She wasn't alone though, she was speaking animatedly to a taller young man. Yesung didn't want to disturb them, but he stepped on some fallen tree branches when he turned to leave. The two students looked up from the park bench in surprise.

Yesung smiled softly, “I'm sorry, I seem to be interrupting.”

“Oh, not at all Yesung-oppa! I was waiting for you!”

Yesung was about to excuse himself nonetheless when he looked past the girl's flushed face and noticed her male companion. It was Kyuhyun. The first year looked completely startled by Yesung's appearance. Yesung felt a bitter taste spread over the tip of his tongue and he tried not to scrunch his face up in a frown. What was Kyuhyun doing there? What was this horrible unpleasant feeling in his chest? He must hate this person after all. Yesung reached into his pockets and held out all three letters.

“Were one of these yours?” he asked the girl softly.

She nodded and pointed to the lavender colored envelope. Yesung handed it back to her and thanked her with the kindest voice he could manage before turning her down.

Her eyes began to brim with tears, “It's not what you think, Oppa!” She motioned to Kyuhyun, “We just met here by coincidence, there's nothing between us!”

Yesung smiled sweetly, but it was the kind of smile he used to keep strangers at an arm's length, kind but distant. “That's not the reason, I have decided not to date anyone.”

The girl shot Kyuhyun a menacing look before running off in a fit of tears. Yesung was expressionless as he watched her leave and was about to leave himself when Kyuhyun grasped his wrist tightly.

Yesung tried to wrench his arm free from Kyuhyun's painful clutches, “Do not touch me, Kyuhyun-shii.”

“You didn't have to do that!”

“Do what?” Yesung wriggled his fingers, they were starting to go numb.

“You didn't have to be so cruel to her. I just happened to be here when she showed up, you didn't have to break her heart because you were jealous.”

Yesung braced his free hand on Kyuhyun's chest and shoved. Kyuhyun was surprised by the smaller boy's strength and released his grasp. “I am not jealous.”

“You're a liar, I can tell by the look on your face.”

“Can you really? I don't even know the girl so there's nothing to be jealous over.” Yesung wasn't jealous, but there was something about Kyuhyun that made his blood boil.

Kyuhyun advanced on the older student until he had him backed up against the oak tree. “The smiles you gave her were kind, but empty, they didn't reach your eyes.”

Yesung was trapped with the tree pressing against his back and Kyuhyun's arms braced on either side of his face. He looked up at the younger boy defiantly, “You've only met me this morning, you don't know anything about me.”

“On the contrary, I know a lot about you. I've been watching you carefully ever since I ran into you.” Kyuhyun leaned in until their lips were mere centimeters away from each others. “You may try to act like a cold prince, but I can read all the emotions that flit across your black eyes.”

“Oh really? Can you tell what kind of emotions I'm filled with right now?” Yesung challenged.

Kyuhyun smirked, “Anger, frustration, annoyance.”

“That's been obvious since the moment I first met you.”

“Yes, you don't try to hide it,” Kyuhyun answered dryly. Yesung seemed to openly despise him, but it was much better than the cold indifference he showed to that girl from earlier. Kyuhyun never wanted Yesung to give him an empty look like that. “But there's something else.”

“Something else?” Yesung asked suspiciously.

“A little bit of fire.”

Yesung furrowed his brow in confusion, “Fi--”

Kyuhyun cut off his question by pressing his lips on top of Yesung's.


	3. Dissent

Yesung felt like he was losing his mind. He was stunned, his mind went blank, but his senses were cognizant of what was happening. The pressure of Kyuhyun's lips on his own, the warmth of his breath gently ghosting over his skin when he pulled away for air, the soft touches that traced down his ticklish sides, and the possessive grip that cinched down on his waist. His body reacted naturally to Kyuhyun's touches and the younger man's fingers curled around the nape of Yesung's neck to pull him in for a deeper kiss. Kyuhyun's soft lips parted and his tongue swiped at Yesung's lips to try and coax them open. That's when his mind finally snapped out of it and he came back to his senses. There was a fire burning in the pit of Yesung's core and he was enraged by Kyuhyun's audacity. Ignoring the shock of desire that was coursing through his body, Yesung planted both palms on Kyuhyun's chest and pushed hard. Kyuhyun lost his balance and Yesung punched him in the gut. The freshman doubled over, wheezing for air.

Yesung was shaking with anger, “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

“Kissing you?” Kyuhyun gasped between coughs.

“Am I just a joke to you, Kyuhyun-ssi?”

“Do I look like I'm laughing, Yesung-ssi?”

“You're finally addressing me with honorifics, but somehow I feel like you are just mocking me.”

Kyuhyun slowly stood up on shaky legs and looked Yesung straight in the eyes, “On the contrary, I take you very seriously. Why do you assume that I'm joking?” He grabbed onto Yesung's upper arm and pulled him close. “Do you have so little confidence in yourself that you can't tell when someone is attracted to you?”

Yesung could hear his own heart beating, it was so loud that it was almost deafening. “Let go of me, Kyuhyun-shii. We can't do this.”

Kyuhyun traced a trembling hand down the side of Yesung's perfect face, “Why not?”

“Do.Not.Touch.Me.” Yesung turned his face away and tried to pry Kyuhyun's fingers open.

Kyuhyun released his grip reluctantly, “Yesung, I...”

Yesung's chest heaved violently as he tried to catch his breath, he couldn't think straight, he didn't want to hear what Kyuhyun had to say. “Find yourself another toy to torment, Kyuhyun-ssi.” His voice trembled slightly, “Please leave me alone.”

Yesung turned on his heel and walked away as swiftly as he could. He was red in the face and tears were beginning to sting his eyes and worst of all, he couldn't understand why he was worked up over another boy. He exhaled slowly and tried to calm down, he needed to regain his composure before other students saw him. He gathered his belongings from his locker and sought out the refuge of his headphones. He turned the music on full blast to drown out the rest of the world.

He took the long way home that afternoon, slowly walking though the park instead of taking the crowded subway. Long walks usually calmed him down, but it wasn't working this time. He was still haunted by thoughts of Kyuhyun. The warm brown eyes, the playful smirk of his lips, the kiss... There was something about Kyuhyun that made him feel he needed to be on the defensive, but what was he really trying to protect himself from?

He jiggled his apartment keys in the stubborn doorknob and called out into the dark, “I'm home!”

Only silence greeted him. He flipped the light switch on and the sparsely furnished room felt even emptier than usual, sometimes living alone was suffocating. He kicked off his shoes and stumbled towards his bed before flopping face down onto his mattress. Nothing was going as planned. All these years he was guarded with others, he was careful to keep his emotions in check, then Cho Kyuhyun appears and throws everything off balance.

He rolled over onto his back and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. He felt something rustle in his pockets and he pulled out two crumpled envelopes. Love letters. Maybe he should just try things Sungmin's way and say yes, at the very least he wouldn't be left alone in the silence with his thoughts. 

Before he had a chance to think it through, before he had a chance to regret it, Yesung opened a letter and dialed the number scribbled on the bottom. A tentative voice answered the line.

“Is this Eunjung-ssi?” Yesung asked huskily.


	4. If You Like Someone...

Unlike his cynical appearance, Kyuhyun had a romantic view of destiny. There were always those kinds of scenes in movies and dramas, where you would meet your soul mate by chance, because that's the way it was always meant to be. Kyuhyun believed in love at first sight and it had happened for him on the very first day of school. It was fate that Yesung's backpack unraveled right in front of him, it was fate that Kyuhyun fell for him the moment he looked into those dark onyx eyes, and it was fate that they met under the oak tree. It didn't discourage him when Yesung was resistant to his advances, the older boy responded to his kiss so the attraction was there, Kyuhyun just needed a little more time and he was sure that Yesung would come around. Then he saw her, walking next to the object of his desire, a rather unimpressive girl in his opinion. All she had going for her was near perfect porcelain skin and silky raven hair. She was pretty, but she paled in comparison to Yesung and it irked Kyuhyun that Yesung could smile at her so sweetly. He wouldn't be discouraged though, Kyuhyun was convinced that he and Yesung were meant to be together.

“Hmm, his real personality is starting to surface.”

Kyuhyun turned sharply at the strange words whispered to him. Lee Sungmin was looking up at him with a sly smile.

“His real personality?” Kyuhyun barely spared Sungmin a second glance while his eyes followed Yesung's every move. The older student was smiling softly and trying to hide his flushed cheeks behind cute baby hands. Kyuhyun had a sudden urge to pinch those cheeks and hold onto those fingers.

“I've known him for three years, he's always been cold and aloof, and other students always idolized him for being cool.” Sungmin's bow lips curled up into a smirk, “But he's actually a soft-hearted dork and he's going to be way more popular this way.”

“I don't get it, I never thought of him as cold and aloof.” Kyuhyun thought back to Yesung's dreamy face while he sang with headphones on and his flustered face when his backpack broke. Kyuhyun just thought Yesung was adorable and...perfect.

“You have sharp eyes,” Sungmin studied Kyuhyun for a moment. “Or, you only have a keen sense for detail when it has to do with Yesung.”

Kyuhyun sputtered, “What are you talking about?”

“Puh-lease, you can't even try to hide it now,” Sungmin smacked Kyuhyun on the back and the freshman flinched. The baby-faced junior was a lot stronger than he appeared to be. “You like him, a lot. You're actually obsessed with him with the way you stalk around the second floor all the time.”

Kyuhyun turned red in the face, “So, what if I like him?”

Sungmin shrugged, “I just wanted to wish you good luck, Kyuhyun-ssi. It might be hard to catch him now that he agreed to date someone.”

Kyuhyun grabbed onto Sungmin's shoulder before the older boy could leave, “They're dating?!”

Sungmin narrowed his eyes at Kyuhyun's grip and the latter hastily removed his hand, “Yesung wouldn't have walked her to school if they weren't.”

Kyuhyun chewed on his lip pensively, “Well, that was fast.”

“And unusual, Yesung never agrees to date anyone, I wonder what happened yesterday.” Sungmin gave Kyuhyun a meaningful look.

Kyuhyun coughed uncomfortably, “Well...”

“Well, I can always get the details out of Yesung,” Sungmin winked.

“No, wait! Hyung!” Kyuhyun was a little anxious about what Yesung would tell his best friend.

Sungmin smiled, “You'll get a lot further if you start addressing all of your sunbaes respectfully like that. Especially, Yesung.”

Sungmin made his way down towards Yesung just as the first bell rang and Kyuhyun reluctantly made his way back down to the first floor classrooms. He was a little worried, but he was sure Yesung was his destiny and he wasn't about to give up that easily.

\- - -

Yesung noticed Sungmin speaking to Kyuhyun before class started and he was uneasy about the suspiciously smug face Sungmin was making.

“What were you talking about back there?”

“Back where?” Sungmin feigned innocence.

“You and Kyuhyun,” Yesung involuntarily turned a bright shade of red.

“You.”

“Why me?” Yesung turned even redder as his lips tingled at the memory of his kiss with Kyuhyun.

“Sometimes you're so clueless. The whole school is talking about you, Yesung. You showed up with a girlfriend and I'm hurt that I was one of the last people to find out even though we're best friends,” Sungmin sighed dramatically.

“We're not dating,” Yesung hissed. “I thought I'd just talk to her and give her a chance like you're always advising me to.”

An eerie silence fell over the classroom and Yesung felt self-conscious as countless pairs of eyes followed his every move. A unified squeal came from a group of girls and everyone started texting on their cellphones. Yesung wanted to facepalm, news traveled way too fast in high school.

“I hope you were clear about the not dating part, because if the whole school jumped to the same conclusion she might have already gotten her hopes up.” Sungmin warned.

Yesung shook his head, “Why is everything so complicated? That's why I don't date.”

Sungmin smirked, “It shouldn't be that complicated if you're unattached or is there someone else you had in mind?”

Yesung clammed up as the homeroom teacher walked in and Sungmin gave him a look that read 'this isn't over yet.'

Lunch was awkward, he didn't have the chance to speak with Sungmin privately since his girlfriend-of-the-day and Eunjung had joined them at the table. Eunjung was a sweet girl, but he didn't really know what to say to her. She made him lunch and he politely accepted it, because he would feel guilty if it went to waste, but that only got a disapproving look from Sungmin and he felt like there was a pair of eyes boring into the back of his head. What was that uneasy feeling? Yesung turned around and scanned the cafeteria, most students seemed to be staring and gossiping about him and Eunjung. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, it was so much easier just plugging in headphones and tuning out the rest of the world.

“Oppa, are you feeling alright?” Eunjung leaned over the table until their foreheads touched. “You don't seem to have a fever.”

Yesung's eyes widened in shock and he pulled away from her hastily. Eunjung looked shy, but she didn't really have boundaries with personal space. Her overfamiliarity with him reminded him of Kyuhyun and he started turning bright red. He felt the whole school's eyes on him again as he shook his head.

“I'm fine, it's just a little headache.”

Sungmin studied Yesung carefully, “You guys seem pretty close already.”

Yesung shook his head while Eunjung nodded, they ended up staring at each other awkwardly.

“You should make your intentions clear,” Sungmin whispered into Yesung's ear before excusing himself from the table and leaving with his bubbly blonde girlfriend.

Yesung started fiddling with his chopsticks, “Eunjung-ssi, why did you leave a letter in my locker?”

Eunjung tilted her head, “Because I like you, Oppa.”

Yesung studied her for a moment, “But you don't know anything about me, how can you be so sure?”

Eunjung smiled serenely, “I just had a feeling.”

“Where do you see us going from here?” Yesung asked seriously.

“Why did you call me last night, Oppa? Weren't you interested in dating me?”

“I don't know, I just thought I'd try to get to know you.” Yesung rubbed the back of his neck, “But I'm uncomfortable with the thought that everyone already assumes we're dating.”

“So, you're just interested in being friends?” Eunjung's voice was going hoarse.

“I don't know what I want,” Yesung said honestly.

“You're a lot harsher than I thought you'd be,” Eunjung said.

“I'm sorry Eunjung-ssi,” Yesung bit his bottom lip, he acted on impulse when he called her, he didn't mean to hurt her feelings just because he didn't think things through.

“Let's start off as friends then!” She declared cheerfully and held her hand out for a handshake.

Yesung was speechless as she took his hand in her own and shook it amicably.

“I admit that we have a lot to learn about each other first, but I don't give up easily, Oppa.” She winked and gathered up her belongings as the lunch bell rang.

Yesung rubbed his temples, he wasn't sure if this was going to be a good thing or a bad thing. He felt someone sit down next to him and assuming it was Sungmin, he leaned back and rested his head on the other person's shoulder.

“I don't understand why people date, it just makes things complicated,” Yesung said.

“I don't think it's complicated,” a deep voice as smooth as honey replied. “If you like someone it's natural that you just want to be with them, no matter what it takes.”

Yesung pulled away abruptly, shocked that he wasn't leaning on Sungmin. He looked up into Kyuhyun's brown eyes, “What are you doing here?”

Kyuhyun held back all the sarcastic remarks that would normally slip off his tongue, “I just wanted to spend some time with you, Yesung-hyung.”


	5. Hyung

Yesung hesitated for a moment when Kyuhyun called him hyung, the word rolled off his tongue with a sensual vibrato, and his deep voice wrapped itself around Yesung's spine like a snake holding him prisoner, he was frozen in place. Kyuhyun reached out for him, his warm fingertips grazing the underside of his wrist, brushing lightly along his pulse point. Yesung felt his heart speed up and the telltale heat of a blush crept up his face. He couldn't take it anymore, the way Kyuhyun was staring at him with warm brown eyes, he tried to back away, but the younger had already grasped his wrist and held him staunchly in place.

“Don't run away from me,” Kyuhyun pleaded.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, Yesung couldn't find his voice or clear his mind. Let go! His mind screamed. He needed to escape, Kyuhyun's intense gaze was stifling, and he just couldn't understand why the younger boy would be so obsessed with him in the first place. Kyuhyun still held onto him firmly and began to pull Yesung's hand to his lips without breaking eye contact. Yesung's eyes widened when plush lips ghosted over his knuckles, they were warm and soft, but Yesung felt his skin burn as if he were holding it over an open flame. His hands trembled slightly, anticipating Kyuhyun's next move, what was the younger student thinking? The secondary lunch bell rang, breaking the spell Kyuhyun had over Yesung, the older student snatched his hand away and turned around to leave.

“Hyung!” Kyuhyun called out desperately, he didn't care about pride at this point. He just knew that he didn't want to let go of Yesung's hand, he felt his heart wrench painfully at the loss of contact.

“We're late for class,” Yesung said hoarsely. “Hurry on to your classroom...Kyuhyun.”

Kyuhyun was dumbfounded for a moment, Yesung had dropped the formalities, a silly grin spread across his face, and even a scolding from his history teacher could not wipe it off his face.

\- - -

Kyuhyun lingered around the second floor hallway after school, bowing awkwardly to the upperclassmen that eyed him suspiciously. He felt the difference now, Yesung always acted annoyed with him, but the other upperclassmen cast scornful glares.

“Didn't anyone ever tell you not to wander on the second or third floors when you're only a freshman?” Sungmin asked with an amused tone.

Kyuhyun scratched the back of his head, “How are you, Sungmin-hyung?”

“He already left,” Sungmin said with a smirk.

Kyuhyun scanned the hallway frantically.

“He's probably cutting through the park and taking the long way home.”

“Thanks, Hyung.”

Sungmin suddenly snatched Kyuhyun's wrist and held it with an iron grip, “I find you amusing and I can tell you really like him, so I'll let your obsessive behavior slide. But as his best friend, I'm obligated to threaten you with a painful death if you ever hurt him. Understood?”

Kyuhyun would have laughed, Sungmin was so much smaller than him, but the threat in the elder's eyes were real. Kyuhyun gulped, “Understood.”

Sungmin released him and smiled like he was made of peaches and cream, “I knew you would.”

Kyuhyun spotted Yesung sitting on a park bench with his headphones on and a large textbook cradled in his lap. He had a peaceful expression on his face, the same expression he had when Kyuhyun first met him. He was lost in his own world, humming quietly and tapping his feet to the rhythm of a song that only he could hear. Kyuhyun found himself holding his breath, he didn't want to disturb Yesung, he didn't want to create a ripple that would break the surface of the serene image that he was privy to. This was Yesung in his element, this was Yesung at his most beautiful, and it made Kyuhyun's heart quake.

A sudden gust of wind enveloped them, breaking the silent atmosphere. Yesung looked up with wide, innocent eyes as clear as a bottomless lake and Kyuhyun felt himself drown in them. Fallen leaves were captured by the breeze and swirled around them like a whirlpool. _Caught in a perfect storm_ , Kyuhyun thought, and in the center of it all was Yesung. If what Kyuhyun felt before wasn't love, he was surely in love now, Yesung became the center of his universe and he worried about how he would ever catch this perfect being.

\- - -

Yesung sniffled slightly, the weather was chilly, but he wasn't ready to go back to his empty apartment. Even though he didn't like to bother with dating, Sungmin was right about him, he got lonely way too easily. He decided to walk through the park and get as much sunshine as he could for the rest of the day, it would be better than being cooped up in his apartment. He spotted a cozy little bench that was bathed in sunlight and he figured it would be warm enough to sit there and get some reading done. He made a good deal of progress until a sudden gust of wind attacked him with a storm of leaves. He was surprised to see Kyuhyun standing before him, just staring at him with an unreadable expression. What did the younger man want? Yesung removed his headphones and looked up at Kyuhyun expectantly.

Kyuhyun flashed him a lopsided smile and extended his hand, “Hi, my name is Kyuhyun.”

Yesung lifted a questioning eyebrow, Kyuhyun was acting weird, “What are you doing?”

“I thought I should introduce myself,” Kyuhyun grinned cheekily. “What's your name?”

“Kyuhyun-ssi, did you happen to suffer some kind of blunt force trauma to your head? We've already met.”

Kyuhyun sat down next to him, “I thought I should do it properly this time and get our relationship started off on the right track.”

Yesung sputtered, “W-what relationship?”

“This awkward love-hate thing that you have for me, I was hoping to restart, and just change it to love.” Kyuhyun's grin widened.

Yesung choked, “You're just as haughty as ever.”

“Not at all, I'm being sincere.” Kyuhyun pouted.

Yesung resisted the urge to face palm, “You must be the class clown.”

“Wrong again, I'm an honors student. Currently ranked first in my class.”

“Then you have a warped personality.”

“That's just a matter of opinion.”

Yesung ground down on his teeth, “Why are you always hanging around me?”

“I like you,” Kyuhyun whispered. “I just want to be near you.”

In Yesung's opinion, Kyuhyun was already uncomfortably close, he was currently looming over Yesung's shoulder, and his lips were only a hair's breadth away from pressing onto the elder's ear as he spoke. The younger had no respect for Yesung's personal space. 

“You don't have to be so literal, you're crowding me!” Yesung scooted away from the younger until he was precariously perched on the edge of the bench.

“Oh, well, I have plenty of space here.” Kyuhyun wrapped an arm around Yesung's shoulder and pulled him close. “We don't want you falling off the bench now.”

Yesung sighed and didn't bother to scoot away any further, Kyuhyun would probably do something else completely unpredictable if he tried to move away. Kyuhyun was surprised that Yesung didn't fight him this time, a glimmer of hope lit up in his warm brown eyes, and he couldn't resist giving Yesung a small squeeze. The elder made cute squeals in protest and tried to wiggle his way out of Kyuhyun's arms, but Kyuhyun only squeezed tighter.

“Kyuhyun-ssi, I am not a squeeze toy!” Yesung pouted as he tried to break free.

“Sorry, Hyung,” Kyuhyun released him reluctantly. “You're just so warm, I couldn't resist.”

Yesung looked away bashfully, “It is kind of chilly out, we should head on home. Your parents must be getting worried about you.”

Kyuhyun shrugged, “They work late, they won't miss me.”

Yesung studied Kyuhyun for a moment, “I'm sure your parents think about you all the time.”

“Regardless, they won't be home, it's just me and an empty house most days.”

Yesung stared at Kyuhyun in an awkward silence before putting his books away and slinging his backpack over one shoulder, “I was about to grab something for dinner, you're welcome to join me if you wish.”

Kyuhyun's eyes lit up at the invitation and he launched himself at Yesung, trapping the older boy in a bone crushing hug.


	6. Spellbound

Yesung eyed Kyuhyun with a frown as the younger man happily slurped his way through his second bowl of ramen and worked his way through a plate of dumplings. He had offered to treat Kyuhyun since he was the sunbae, but he wondered if his allowance for the week could really cover Kyuhyun's appetite. It was really unfair how much the younger boy could eat and still remain so lean. If Yesung wasn't strict with his diet his face would bloat the next day. Kyuhyun flashed him a puppy dog smile with his cheeks puffed out from the mouthfuls of food and Yesung decided that it wasn't all that bad to be treating him to dinner if he could see his dongsaeng make a cute face like that. Yesung bit down on his lip and frowned even more. When did he begin to get comfortable with Kyuhyun's presence? Even worse, when did he begin to think of the annoying freshman as “cute”?

Kyuhyun nudged Yesung with his shoulder and the older boy looked up at him with a blank expression, “Hyung, is there something wrong with your food?”

“Hmm? No, it's fine.” Yesung stared down at his bowl, “Did you get enough to eat, Kyuhyun-ssi?”

Kyuhyun pouted, “Why are you still calling me Kyuhyun-ssi?”

Yesung chewed on the ends of his chopsticks, “What's wrong with that?”

“This morning, you called me Kyuhyun, just plain Kyuhyun.” Kyuhyun grinned cheekily. “Or you could just start calling me Kyuhyun-ah~ or Kyu~”

Yesung turned red in the face, “Why would I refer to you like that?”

Kyuhyun stared at him with glassy, brown eyes, “Because we're friends now, Yesung-hyung!”

Yesung averted his gaze as Kyuhyun pressed closer, “I'm not sure we should be considered friends.”

“But you like me, right?”

Yesung coughed uncomfortably, “You are a cocky little jerk.”

Kyuhyun grinned, “You really do like me. You won't be able to get rid of me so easily, Hyung. No matter how many names you call me.”

“Whatever, just eat your food, Kyuhyun-ah.” Yesung whispered the last part so softly that Kyuhyun would have missed it if it weren't for the fact that he had his chin propped up against Yesung's shoulder.

Kyuhyun grinned so widely that his face threatened to split in half. He cooed, “I heard that, you can't take it back now.”

Kyuhyun's grin was starting to irritate Yesung, he felt a little embarrassed so he reached out with his hands and squished in the sides of Kyuhyun's cheeks with his palms. “Stop making that disgusting face.”

“What face?” Kyuhun mumbled through muffled lips and Yesung fell over with inexplicable laughter.

\- - -

The next day, Kyuhyun joined Yesung and Sungmin for lunch as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The other second year students were annoyed by the brazen freshman's presence, but they didn't dare mention it if neither Yesung or Sungmin protested. Sungmin actually found it quite amusing that Yesung and Kyuhyun seemed to be getting along quite amicably.

Kyuhyun had eyes for no one but Yesung, he made polite conversation with Sungmin, but it was obvious he just wanted Yesung's attention. However, Eunjung was at the lunch table as well and she was trying to monopolize all of Yesung's time by clinging onto his arm and trying to spoon feed him her homemade lunch. Kyuhyun decided that he hated Eunjung.

Yesung was about to hit his breaking point when Sungmin playfully asked about his “date” with Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun beamed while Yesung rolled his eyes.

“It wasn't a date,” Yesung insisted.

“Sure it was, you treated me and everything, Yesung-hyung~” Kyuhyun's lips formed into a light smirk when he saw Eunjung scrunch up her face out of jealousy.

“Oppa, how could you? You haven't even taken me out on a date yet and you promised!” Well, Yesung didn't really asked her out on a date, but if she whined in front of enough people, Eunjung was sure she could guilt Yesung into one.

“It wasn't a date, he's my dongsaeng, of course I would be the one treating him.” Yesung said as he tried to pry Eunjung's sharp nails out of his arm.

Kyuhyun noticed that Yesung didn't deny promising to take Eunjung out on a date and he immediately latched onto Yesung's free arm, trying to stake his claim. Sungmin almost felt sorry for his best friend being sandwiched between two people that obviously had massive crushes on him.

“Guys, don't pull too hard. Yesung's not a wishbone,” Sungmin warned while trying to hold in his laughter.

Yesung paled a bit at the thought, it did feel like Eunjung and Kyuhyun were trying to split him in two. “Kyuhyun-ah, your grip is kind of painful.”

Kyuhyun was momentarily dazed by Yesung's affectionate way of addressing him and the older boy immediately wrenched his arm free. Eunjung was in a state of jealous shock when she heard Yesung speak to the younger informally and he managed to break free from her grip as well. Yesung sighed in relief as he rubbed his arms vigorously, trying to regain some feeling and circulation in his limbs.

“Yesung-ah,” Sungmin called from across the table and felt two pairs of jealous eyes glaring his way. He was trying really hard not to giggle.

“Yes, Sungmin-ah?” Yesung shot him a glare of his own.

“I know you have your hands full with these two, but what are you going to do about the growing pile of love letters in your locker?” Sungmin was deliberately pouring oil on the fire and Yesung knew it.

Yesung shrugged, “I'll just keep them, I guess.”

“Oppa doesn't need those letters,” Eunjung turned to Yesung. “You should just throw them away or burn them.”

Yesung frowned and Kyuhyun interrupted. “Those letters are full of people's honest feelings, you of all people should know that. How would you feel if Yesung-hyung had burned your letter?”

Yesung smiled softly, “Those letters were written to me, so technically they're mine to deal with as I see fit. I can't keep meeting with people to return them, so I'm going to keep them. I'm just thankful for everyone's kindness.”

Kyuhyun gave Yesung's thigh a soft squeeze, “See, you're not such a cold prince after all.”

Yesung rolled his eyes, “But I didn't agree to date anyone either.”

A blonde junior suddenly joined them at the table. Sungmin tilted his head in acknowledgment, “Hey, Jessica.”

The picturesque beauty smiled stiffly, “Sungmin-oppa, Yesung-oppa.”

Kyuhyun felt a sudden stab of jealousy and noticed that Eunjung's interest was peaked as well.

“Rush week is coming up soon,” Jessica announced.

“And I thought I told you to handle the tryouts,” Yesung mumbled.

“You need to show up to some of the meetings since you are club president, Oppa!”

“You and the other members do nothing but bicker, call me once the blood bath is over.” Yesung raked a hand through his shaggy hair.

“We need to work on promotion ideas in order to attract new club members,” Jessica insisted.

Sungmin pointed to Yesung, “That's easy, just parade him around and make him sing.”

Jessica kept her attention focused on Yesung, “We need to decide on a song.”

“He'll do a solo. You girls work on an ensemble piece,” Sungmin answered simply.

“He needs to show up!”

“He can't! I need him to show up at the drama club for fittings.”

“Lee Sungmin, who died and made you boss?”

“God.”

“He's our club president.”

“You can't use that excuse to monopolize him.”

“Don't treat Oppa like a piece of meat!” Eunjung interrupted.

The three arguing students suddenly turned to ask Yesung what he wanted to do, but he was no longer there, neither was Kyuhyun. Eunjung pouted, Jessica grumbled, and Sungmin merely snickered.

“Ah, my best friend has finally learned how to give you the slip this year, Jessica.”

“He can't avoid the club duties forever.”

“Why aren't you president anyway?”

“It was decided on by popular vote.” Jessica stomped off while Sungmin grinned.

\- - -

Kyuhyun noticed Yesung's strained expression and pulled him away while the others were busy arguing. They found refuge under the oak tree where they shared their first kiss. Yesung sat down on the bench and rubbed his temples, he felt a headache coming on. Kyuhyun studied him with an unnerving gaze, slowly, deliberately, as if he were trying to remember every detail of his face, from the curve of his lips to the tips of his eyelashes.

“Do people always fight over you like that?”

Yesung shrugged, “I just have a lot of projects coming up this year, but I just don't want to think about it right now. Sometimes there's so much pressure I can't even breathe.”

Kyuhyun noticed the tense way Yesung carried his shoulders, the older boy was indeed under a lot of stress.

Yesung looked up at him and smiled apologetically, “Sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you all of this.”

“Don't be sorry, it makes me happy to learn a little more about you. It makes me feel closer to you. It also makes me feel like I may have a chance.”

“A chance?”

Kyuhyun traced a finger under Yesung's jawline and tilted his chin up. Yesung was caught off guard and Kyuhyun stole a kiss from his slightly parted lips. Soft, sensual, and warm. He could feel the slow burn of a seductive heat that began from his toes and spread through his body out towards his fingertips. He reached out and grasped onto Kyuhyun as if he were his only lifeline. His lungs were about to burst from the pressure of holding his breath, but he didn't make a move to break away. Kyuhyun's hand slowly traced patterns up Yesung's thigh, taught stomach, and surprisingly toned chest. He pulled away momentarily so he could fill his lungs with air, the taste of Yesung was making him dizzy with desire.

Kyuhyun cupped Yesung's face and traced a hand back down his neck, his chest, until it grazed Yesung's thigh. “This, I want all of this,” Kyuhyun whispered with a raspy voice.

Yesung literally threw all caution into the wind and allowed Kyuhyun to touch him, mark him, and claim him. The warmth building up deep in his gut was the beginning sparks of a dangerous fire that would consume him whole, but he didn't have the mind to care about it now. Maybe not ever, as Kyuhyun pressed a warm, sloppy kiss on the sensitive spot between his ear and jawline. Yesung groaned and threw his head back until he exposed the pale column of his neck. Kyuhyun sunk his teeth in greedily. He kissed, nibbled, and licked trails all over the soft, delectable skin. Mine. He needed and wanted everything that was Yesung. He needed to claim it in order to feel complete. He never knew his soul was missing another half before he met Yesung, but now that he knew this empty feeling existed, he craved Yesung like a debilitating drug. It was an addiction that he would never be able to shake or break away from.

“I love you,” Kyuhyun whispered and Yesung felt the earth collapse from beneath his feet. The spell was broken.


	7. What The Heart Wants

_“I love you,” Kyuhyun whispered and Yesung felt the earth collapse from beneath his feet._

Yesung felt like he was floundering in a pool of water, trying not to drown. “What?”

Kyuhyun pulled back and gazed into his dark eyes, “I love you.”

Tears involuntarily rolled down Yesung's cheek, “Why...you can't possibly....”

Kyuhyun felt his blood run cold, why was his perfect, beautiful hyung crying? Kyuhyun wiped Yesung's tears with the pads of his thumbs, “Don't cry, please don't cry.” Kyuhyun's heart wrenched painfully, “Yesung-hyung, why are you crying?”

Yesung never allowed himself to date or love anyone because it would consume him, mind, body, and soul. He would give up anything to be with the one he loved, but it always turned out to be a foolish endeavor. He became accustomed to distancing himself, but then Kyuhyun comes into his life, no, forces himself into Yesung's life - demanding Yesung's time and attention; enticing Yesung in a haze of lust and want; confusing his mind and his heart. Yesung could see himself falling for this one. He could fall for him so bad and so hard that it wouldn't be possible to recover from this love affair. Yesung felt his heart crack bitterly.

“It hurts, Kyuhyun-ah,” Yesung whispered and pushed the younger away with shaky hands.

For most people love was a game, for Kyuhyun it was probably a passing fancy. Yesung was so resistant at first that he probably became a game for the younger to conquer. And once he gave in? Once Kyuhyun received his prize? He would probably tire of the older and eventually toss him to the side and then there would be nothing that would matter to Yesung ever again. No, he needed to retain control...he needed to. He thought Kyuhyun was just going to flirt. He thought Kyuhyun just wanted to have some fun at his expense, but to say that he loved the older boy? Yesung couldn't allow it. He wouldn't allow his own heart to consider it. 

“Why? I'm serious, Hyung.” Kyuhyun clung onto Yesung's arms desperately, “I'm serious about you Yesung. I'm in love with you.”

“Don't say that, You can't say that you love me.” Yesung shook his head and refused to make eye contact.

“I don't understand,” Kyuhyun's voice began to crack.

“You can't...I can't...” Yesung sobbed.

“It's okay if you don't love me right now, I'll give you all the time you need as long as you give me a chance. Could you at least consider it? Maybe you could learn to love me?”

“No Kyuhyun! I can't.” Yesung began to tremble. If he allowed himself to fall in love it would hurt too much to be apart from Kyuhyun, he would need him too much, he would want him too much. “I can't take the chance....”

Kyuhyun's heart ached for Yesung, “What are you so afraid of?”

He ran his fingers through Yesung's raven hair so gently that the older boy wasn't even sure if Kyuhyun had actually touched him.

“I would never hurt you,” Kyuhyun pulled Yesung into his arms until he could inhale the older student's unique scent. It was warm, it was citrus, it was Yesung.

“Words are empty and meaningless,” Yesung mumbled without conviction. His heart wavered, it just felt so good to be cradled in Kyuhyun's arms.

“Maybe,” Kyuhyun dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Yesung's waist. He pressed an ear to the older boy's chest. “Let's ask your heart what it wants.”

He could feel Yesung's heart pick up speed and resonate with his own. He lifted one of Yesung's hands and placed soft kisses on every finger before placing it on his own chest.

“You can also ask my heart what it wants.”

Yesung could feel the rhythm of Kyuhyun's heartbeats match his own, it had a calming effect over him, his tears stopped falling.

“Words may lie and cheat, but the heart does not. My heart wants you, Yesung, and I'll never let you go.”

“Kyuhyun,” Yesung whispered with a raspy voice, “I can't promise you anything.”

“Just let me stay by your side,” Kyuhyun squeezed Yesung a little tighter. “I'll prove my love to you, you'll see.”


	8. I'll Carry You

Yesung woke up with butterflies in his stomach, he was feeling restless. He looked at his own reflection in the mirror and smiled shyly at the memory of Kyuhyun's confession. He touched his lips with his own fingertips and felt a warm tingling sensation spread through his face, he was blushing. He covered his burning cheeks with his hands, he had it bad, he was falling in love with a younger man. Even though Kyuhyun repeatedly assured him that his feelings were real, Yesung couldn't help but have insecurities. He exhaled slowly, he wasn't sure how he'd face Kyuhyun today, even worse, he would have to deal with the meddling Sungmin. Yesung's cheeks flared up with embarrassment again, he wished he wasn't the type to blush so easily, but did he used to blush this much? Most people referred to him as cold and stoic, but he became a catastrophic mess of emotions ever since he met Kyuhyun. Yesung frowned at himself and grudgingly admitted, to the empty room, that Kyuhyun was someone special.

\- - -

Kyuhyun watched – or rather, stared with his mouth agape – as Yesung recited his lines and practiced his fight choreography with Sungmin by his side. The second year students had practice for the upcoming musical everyday and they stayed after school for hours. Not wanting to let Yesung out of his sight for even one moment, Kyuhyun joined them in the auditorium every afternoon and just worked on his homework while he waited. However, he only managed to finish his homework the very first day while the costume designers took Yesung for measurements. Everyday after that he was just too busy staring at the older student and his surprisingly toned arms as he practiced in nothing but a wife-beater tank top and loose sweat pants. Yesung-watching was fast becoming his favorite hobby.

That afternoon, Sungmin was demonstrating how to wield a staff and Yesung just shook his head. The martial artist had the wooden pole whirling and spinning in the air effortlessly while Yesung complained to him that it wasn't plausible to him to learn how to use it by the time the musical started. Sungmin merely grinned and said “Practice makes perfect.” He soon swallowed his own words when the staff slipped out of Yesung's small hands and went flying towards Sungmin's face. The shorter boy then mumbled something about adding super glue to the weapons as a safety measure. Kyuhyun tried really hard not to burst into a fit of laughter, but failed. Yesung shot his lone audience member a menacing look and approached the edge of the stage.

“Kyuhyun-ah, are you really okay with spending all your free time here with us? Aren't there other things that you want to do with your time?”

Kyuhyun smiled, “I'm already exactly where I want to be.”

Yesung blushed, “You know, Kyuhyun-ah, this is an arts school, aren't there any clubs that you're interested in?”

“Whatever club you're in,” Kyuhyun stated decisively.

Yesung frowned, “You really have no interest in developing a particular talent?”

Kyuhyun smiled up at Yesung innocently, “Didn't you know, Hyung? I can sing.”

Yesung looked at him skeptically, “Then you can join the choir during rush week.”

Kyuhyun hummed, “When's that?”

“In about two weeks,” Yesung sighed, “And that's when we're supposed to have a preview of this new musical ready.”

“You're already doing quite well, don't worry.”

“I can't help but worry,” Yesung chewed on his bottom lip.

Sungmin called for Yesung before Kyuhyun could say anything else and the older boy turned immediately. If Sungmin didn't constantly date girls, Kyuhyun would be jealous of how close the two friends were. Sungmin started Yesung on the choreography of a particular fight scene, Yesung followed along diligently. Sungmin picked up the pace and Yesung followed closely behind. Kyuhyun smiled, the older boy wasn't giving himself enough credit, but then there was a sudden crash. Yesung had slipped and fell. The pain on the raven-haired boy's face was evident and Kyuhyun's heart ached as he immediately dashed towards the stage. Sungmin was kneeling next to Yesung as he rubbed his lower back and whimpered in pain.

“Hyung, are you alright?” Kyuhyun knelt down next to the older boy and began inspecting him for any injuries. His hands trailed down Yesung's arms and legs and lingered a bit longer than necessary, but no one else noticed, especially not when Sungmin was barking orders about mopping the stage floor properly.

Yesung nodded, but his face was pale. Sungmin pressed down on Yesung's ankle and the latter almost screamed.

“I think you sprained your ankle, let's get you to the nurse's office.”

“I'll take him, Sungmin-hyung. You have a lot of work to do.” Kyuhyun slung Yesung's arm around his neck and supported the older boy's weight.

Sungmin nodded, “Can I count on you to see him home? He won't be able to practice for a while.”

“I'm sorry, Sungmin-ah,” Yesung blushed as Kyuhyun cinched an arm around his waist.

“You may be clumsy sometimes, but that wasn't your fault. Just practice your lines, the rest will work itself out in time.” Sungmin gave Yesung a soft smile before shooting a glare at the drama club members, “Whoever was in charge of keeping the stage clean needs to get their ass out here right now!”

Kyuhyun patiently led Yesung down the hallway, “Is it just me or is Sungmin-hyung kind of scary?”

Yesung chuckled, but ended up wincing in pain. “Sungmin is a force to be reckoned with.”

\- - -

Yesung had indeed sprained his ankle. The nurse wrapped his ankle and sent him home on orders to keep it elevated.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kyuhyun asked with concern as he watched Yesung limp painfully.

“I'll be fine, the nurse said I shouldn't need crutches.”

“You may not need them now, but you should keep off of it as much as possible.”

“I will, I'll prop it up as soon as I get home, I promise.”

“You shouldn't walk all the way home.”

Yesung rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously, “I can't afford a taxi, so I'll be fine.”

“I didn't mean a taxi,” Kyuhyun knelt with his back facing Yesung. “I'll carry you.”

“WHAT?? Oh, no...no thanks. That's just too embarrassing.”

Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow, “There's nothing wrong with getting a piggyback ride when you're injured.”

“No, I'm a grown man, I can walk.” Yesung shook his head stubbornly.

Kyuhyun bit back a remark about how he looked and acted like a cute little boy, “No one is going to judge.” Besides, Kyuhyun wanted an excuse to have Yesung cling onto him.

“I don't need you to carry me.”

“It'll take you two days to walk home at this rate,” Kyuhyun stood up, wrapped an arm around Yesung's waist and threw the older boy over his shoulder. He was surprised by how light Yesung was.

Yesung squealed and started flailing his arms.

“Hyung, I wouldn't do that unless you want me to drop you,” Kyuhyun let his hand wander and gave the older student's bottom a light squeeze.

“CHO KYUHYUN, PUT ME DOWN, OH MY GOD WATCH WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR HANDS!”

“Any louder and we'll have an audience,” Kyuhyun smirked and gave the pert bottom a light smack. “We don't want the whole school seeing you hanging upside down over my shoulder, do we?”

Yesung's face was on fire with embarrassment, “Just put me down, Kyuhyun-ah. Let's do it the other way, this is making me dizzy.”

Kyuhyun slowly released his hold and let the second year student slide gently off his shoulder, he tilted Yesung's face up by the chin and smiled. “You should have just agreed with me in the first place. Now, what about my other question? Do you have an answer for me yet? Hint: you should always say yes to me.”

“What question?”

“Will you date me?” Kyuhyun ran his thumb across Yesung's lips, “Will you be my boyfriend?”


	9. I Have You Now

Yesung read Kyuhyun's lips as the younger man spoke.

“...say yes to me.”

Yesung was breathless, Kyuhyun was so beautiful in this moment, his voice was so alluring that Yesung forgot the pain of his swollen ankle. Say yes? If Kyuhyun kept using that sweet honey voice on him, Yesung would probably say yes to anything. His eyes closed with a flutter as Kyuhyun gently traced over his lips with a callused thumb.

“Will you date me? Will you be my boyfriend?”

He leaned into Kyuhyun's warmth, he could get used to this; this closeness; this intimacy. When he was with Kyuhyun he felt simultaneously safe and at peace, but also reckless and wild. He peeked up at Kyuhyun through his dark lashes, unaware of the sultry look that was emanating from his deep, obsidian eyes. Kyuhyun sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth, trying to control the sudden urge to tackle the injured junior to the floor.

“The things you do to me,” Kyuhyun muttered with a gravelly voice as he threaded his fingers through Yesung's soft hair. 

Yesung gave him a lopsided smile, it accentuated his cheek bones and the curve of his cupid's bow in the most tantalizing way, “I don't think I should say yes...”

Kyuhyun let out a groan, a guttural noise of disappointment that he could barely contain as he let his shaky hands drop from Yesung's sides.

“...I shouldn't say yes...but you're so tempting. When I let my guard down, you'll end up getting your way anyway.” Yesung whispered.

Kyuhyun's plush lips quirked into a half smirk, “That's why I said, you should always say yes to me. I won't allow you to say no.”

“You're not allowed to take it back,” Yesung said firmly. “If I say yes, you are stuck with me forever.”

Kyuhyun smiled, a genuine smile beaming with happiness. “I'm never going to give you up, Yesung, you are mine and mine alone.”

Yesung swayed a bit and clung onto the front of Kyuhyun's shirt, prompting the freshman to immediately wrap his arms around his waist to steady him. “Yes,” Yesung breathed.

Kyuhyun's hands shook with excitement, “Yes, what?”

“Yes, I'll be your boyfriend, Kyuhyun.”

“Finally,” Kyuhyun felt like it was Christmas morning and the one present that he had been pining for all year was finally in his hands. He wrapped his arms around the older student and clung on tightly, “I love you, Yesung-hyung.”

“I..I...” Yesung stuttered a bit.

Kyuhyun kissed him on the cheek, “It's okay, you don't have to say it now, but trust me, you will eventually.”

Yesung punched Kyuhyun in the arm, “You cocky little brat.”

Kyuhyun laughed with a deep, rich tone that seem to wrap itself right around Yesung's heart. He was afraid to voice it out loud, but it was probably already there, and it was probably love.

Kyuhyun stole a quick kiss that had Yesung blushing from his toes up to his hairline. “Shall we get you home?”

He was still reluctant about it, but Yesung allowed Kyuhyun to carry him on his back while Yesung had his arms draped loosely around the taller boy's neck. He buried his face into Kyuhyun's shoulder blade and inhaled the scent that was innately Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun was warm, Yesung was surprised by how warm his back was. He pressed a cheek against Kyuhyun's shoulder and made a soft snuffling sound as he listened to the younger student's heartbeat speed up. Kyuhyun shifted Yesung's weight slightly and marveled at how the older boy could be so cute. Kyuhyun smiled to himself and tried to suppress a giggle, finally, this perfect boy clinging to his back was officially his. The thought made him giddy.

\- - -

Kyuhyun had a bit of a dilemma, he knew where Yesung's apartment building was, but he was never invited in before -which was also one of the reasons he was so adamant about sending his hyung home - Kyuhyun wasn't sure which apartment the older student lived in. Yesung had fallen asleep on Kyuhyun's back and he loathed to wake him. His warm breath was tickling Kyuhyun's neck, but he just wanted to hold onto Yesung for just a few moments longer. His grip on Yesung was weakening and he shifted his boyfriend's weight again until he was supporting Yesung by holding onto his soft bottom. The older boy's eyes flew open.

“Kyuhyun-ah, you can put me down now,” Yesung pushed himself away from Kyuhyun's back and wiggled uncomfortably.

Kyuhyun gave Yesung's bottom a playful squeeze, “What if I don't want to?”

Yesung cuffed the back of Kyuhyun's head and whined, “Stop it.”

Kyuhyun released him reluctantly and shivered from the sudden absence of warmth. He snaked his arms around Yesung's waist and held him tight.

“Kyuhyun-ah, I can't move when you hold me like this.”

Kyuhyun smiled mischievously, “Then I have you exactly where I want you.”

“What about the nurse's order to rest and elevate my foot?”

Kyuhyun hummed in affirmation, “Yeah, we need to get you off your feet.”

Yesung glared, “Somehow that phrase doesn't sound very innocent coming from you.”

Kyuhyun grinned, “What are you implying, Hyung?”

Yesung looked away hastily as his cheeks burned with embarrassment, “Nothing, let's go.”

Kyuhyun grabbed Yesung's hand and interlaced their fingers as he followed him slowly up a flight of concrete stairs to a room numbered 224. Yesung paused in front of the door and stared down at his feet for a moment.

“Don't tell me, you've lost your key?” Kyuhyun chuckled lightly.

Yesung looked at Kyuhyun warily, “You're my first guest here.”

Kyuhyun was dying from curiosity now, no one else had ever seen Yesung's apartment. “What about Sungmin?”

“He has a spare key, but I usually stay over at his house since his mom has spare rooms.”

Kyuhyun ignored the slight pinch of jealousy tweaking at his heart and made a note to invite Yesung over to stay with him one night. His parents were never home and his sister wouldn't mind and he could have his hyung all to himself on the weekends...Yesung finally opened the front door while Kyuhyun's mind was busy playing out his midnight fantasies. The apartment was surprisingly small. It was just one open room with a tiny kitchen and a small restroom off to the side. A round coffee table that doubled as a dining table and work desk was placed in the center of the room; and a tidy little bed with black and white sheets was pushed up against the far wall. It was a sparse living space, but there was one wall lined with four separate bookshelves – it was filled to the rim with books, dvds, and cds. Kyuhyun gasped at Yesung's music collection, it seemed to stretch on endlessly. 

Yesung fluffed two cushions and placed them down next to the coffee table, “It's not much, but please try to make yourself comfortable. Would like anything to eat or drink, Kyuhyun-ah?”

Kyuhyun shook his head absentmindedly while he continued to stare at Yesung's bookshelves. Yesung smiled and made some tea and set it out on the table. “I'm going to take a shower real quick, I'm all sticky from practice.”

Kyuhyun watched as Yesung retrieved some clothes from a cramped closet. “Hyung, you live by yourself?”

Yesung smiled stiffly and shrugged, “My family lives in Cheonan, I came here for school.”

“Don't you get lonely?” Kyuhyun watched Yesung fidget with a frown, the popular student often just seemed like a loner with no one but Sungmin for company, but Kyuhyun could tell that he didn't like to be left alone.

Yesung flashed a warm smile and whispered, “I have you now.”

Kyuhyun crossed the room with two strides of his long legs, he pulled Yesung forward as he wrapped one arm around his shoulders and cradled the back of his head with his free hand, “Don't just whisper it, say it out loud, scream it. You have me now! And you always will.”

Yesung's bottom lip quivered slightly as he nodded. Kyuhyun squeezed him tighter, he never wanted to let go, he never wanted to be separated from this person. There was a small corner of his heart with a space reserved specifically for this young man and it was slowly spreading and taking over the rest of him. Kyuhyun's body quaked with emotions, the need to be with Yesung was growing, and he feared that one day he would be Kyuhyun's only reason for living – but even if it burned him in the end, Kyuhyun didn't ever want to let go.


	10. Stay

Kyuhyun was left to his own devices when Yesung finally took off for a shower. The thought had crossed his mind to slip into the bathroom and sneak a peek at his boyfriend ( _who could resist?_ ), but Yesung had cast him a dubious look and made it a point to lock the bathroom with a resounding _click_.  
   
“Aww, Hyung, don't you trust me?” Kyuhyun whined cutely.  
   
“I most certainly do not...not with these kinds of things anyway,” Yesung's husky voice echoed from the tiled bathroom before turning on the shower.  
   
“What if I need to use the bathroom?” Kyuhyun asked with a mischievous smile that Yesung could hear, but not see.  
   
“Hold it,” Yesung said stubbornly.  
   
“You're a cruel man, Hyung.”  
   
“You're a sneaky little brat, Kyu. Holding it for about fifteen minutes will not kill you.”  
   
Kyuhyun pressed his cheek against the bathroom door, “Hyung~ did you just call me Kyu?”  
   
Silence.  
   
Kyuhyun grinned, he could picture an embarrassed Yesung completely devoid of clothing and tanned skin lightly flushed. He groaned with want, his wanted to kick his mind for it's perverted tendencies, he was distracting himself.   
   
“You called me Kyu, you're totally in love with me. Aren't you, Hyung?”  
   
“Idiot,” Yesung muttered from behind the door and Kyuhyun could hear the telltale splash of water against bare skin as the older boy finally stepped into the shower.  
   
With the older student tucked away safely behind a locked door, Kyuhyun finally gave up and started shuffling through Yesung's belongings out of boredom. He scanned the multiple dvds and cds, he turned on Yesung's laptop, he sipped the hot tea that Yesung brewed for him, and he rolled around Yesung's bed mussing up the perfectly made sheets. He blushed slightly when he noticed Yesung's scent lingered on the bedsheets. At the risk of looking like a big pervert if Yesung were to emerge from the shower and discover him, Kyuhyun picked up a pillow and pressed his nose to it. It smelled like Yesung, Kyuhyun squeezed the pillow tightly and buried his face into the softness imagining that he was clinging onto his precious hyung. He giggled to himself, even though it sounded more like the maniacal laughter of an evil scientist, and he rolled around Yesung's bed some more. He curled himself up in the soft sheets like a contented cat and immersed himself in the familiar scent. He stared at the bathroom door and wondered when Yesung would finally reappear. Yesung's bed was so warm and comfortable and his lingering scent was so soothing that Kyuhyun eventually nodded off and fell asleep.  
   
Yesung wanted to smack himself in the face, he was so preoccupied with the fact that Kyuhyun was in his apartment and the feel of Kyuhyun's warm embrace and the possibility of Kyuhyun trying to sneak into his shower that he hastily retreated into the bathroom without a towel. So here he was, completely soaked through and just staring at the back of the closed bathroom door. Why did he leave his bath towel outside anyway? Oh yeah, because he lived alone and usually just walked in and out of the bathroom at will. He can't very well venture out naked and wet with Kyuhyun in his studio apartment. His boyfriend was already way too affectionate and much too tactile. He wasn't ready to appear before him devoid of clothing, especially at such an early stage of their relationship. He wasn't even sure how far this relationship would go, but he did know that Kyuhyun made him feel safe and wanted. When Kyuhyun said he would never be alone again, Yesung was inclined to believe him. Yesung threw his head back against the shower wall, _Cho Kyuhyun what are you doing to me?_  
   
Yesung grabbed the hand towel hanging next to the sink and tried to cover his private parts before peeking out from behind the opened bathroom door.  
   
“Kyu?” He whispered tentatively.  
   
Yesung scanned the room and found Kyuhyun rolled up in his bedsheets and curled up under his comforter, napping on his bed like a little child. Yesung smiled, the younger student looked so adorable and innocent when he slept. He took the opportunity to scamper out into the open and grab the towel he left draped over a hook hanging on the closet door. Safe! He hastily wrapped the towel around his waist and headed back towards the bathroom with the intentions of getting dressed when a groggy voice echoed from behind him.  
   
“Are you done with the shower now, Hyung?” Kyuhyun rubbed his eyes, obviously talking while still half asleep.  
   
Now, Yesung wasn't very graceful at the best of times, the other students at school thought he was a cool prince because he took his time getting anywhere and assumed he was somewhat rebellious in nature, but it was more out of self preservation that anything else. He opted out of most sports, but since the athletic Sungmin was his best friend, the student body assumed that Yesung was also athletic and coordinated. Kyuhyun's sudden question gave him a terrible shock and he got his own feet tangled up with each other. His bad ankle gave way and he fell on his face while desperately clutching onto the thin towel wrapped around his waist. Kyuhyun was now wide awake at Yesung's surprised yelp and he saw his half naked boyfriend tumble forward onto the carpet while rivulets of water trailed down his wet hair and bare back. Kyuhyun sucked in his breath, so much exposed skin that he longed to touch, but his heart also ached as his already injured boyfriend took a nasty spill.  
   
A mess of splayed limbs was flailing on the floor and Kyuhyun couldn't decide if he wanted to help his boyfriend up, sit there laughing, or just ravish him on the spot. Kyuhyun came over and offered to help Yesung up as the older boy hastily cinched his towel closed. Kyuhyun had sharp eyes however and he already noticed the smooth supple skin of his boyfriend's backside exposed to him ever so temptingly. He reached over and smoothed out the towel, helping Yesung cover up.  
   
“Are you alright?” Kyuhyun pulled Yesung upright by an arm. “If you needed something you should have just called for me, you're injured, remember?”  
   
Yesung clasped his arms over his bare chest and nodded, “Sorry, um, well...I forgot...and you were asleep...and...”  
   
Kyuhyun scooped him up into his arms and dropped him onto the bed. Yesung yelped in shock. Kyuhyun went to get another towel that was hanging from the closet and started patting Yesung's damp skin dry.  
   
“K-kyu...” Yesung gasped as Kyuhyun slowly kneaded circles in his skin.   
   
Kyuhyun bit his bottom lip, he wanted Yesung so much, but he wouldn't force him to do anything he wasn't ready for, “You should trust me more, Hyung.”  
   
He placed a chaste kiss on Yesung's forehead. “I'll go get your clean clothes from the bathroom.”  
   
Yesung sat on his bed in a slight state of shock, before he began to towel his hair dry in short, quick strokes. Kyuhyun was back in a flash and gently placed Yesung's neatly folded clothes on the bed next to him.  
   
“Do you need any help with that?” the younger asked with a smirk and Yesung promptly tossed the towel he was using on his hair into Kyuhyun's face.  
   
Kyuhyun chuckled and ran the towel through Yesung's hair roughly causing the black locks to stick out in all sorts of directions. Yesung pouted and tried to smooth his hair back out while Kyuhyun knelt down and pressed two fingers on his swollen ankle, he gasped in pain.  
   
“Get dressed, Hyung. I'll go get some ice from the kitchen.”  
   
Yesung had never dressed faster in his life. Sweatpants were instantly pulled on by slipping both legs through at the same time and his t-shirt was donned in one fluid motion. Kyuhyun hummed softly as he rummaged around for a plastic bag and slowly filled it with ice from the freezer. He had basically seen _all_ of Yesung anyway, the older boy just didn't realize it. Kyuhyun giggled to himself, Yesung's unfortunate accidents were making this the best day of his life.   
   
Kyuhyun propped Yesung's foot up with some pillows and gingerly pressed the ice pack to his swollen ankle. Yesung hissed from the sudden contact of ice on his warm skin and smiled at Kyuhyun apologetically, “Thank you for helping me out, Kyuhyun-ah, but I'll be fine now, you can go home.”  
   
“Kicking me out so soon?” Kyuhyun asked cheekily.  
   
“No, I just don't want to be an inconvenience.”  
   
“You're my boyfriend now, you're never an inconvenience.”  
   
“But it's getting late, it won't be safe for you to walk home in the dark.”  
   
“You're right, that's why I'm not going home.” Yesung stared at Kyuhyun and the younger student smirked. “I'm staying.”  
 


	11. Just Two Words

_“I'm staying.”_  
   
Just two words and Yesung felt like his world had been turned upside down. Just two words and his heart started palpitating so quickly he feared it would suddenly stop from the stress. Yesung felt a lump form in his throat as he struggled to swallow, Kyuhyun was staring at him with round doe eyes and he'd feel like a criminal if he were to turn his boyfriend down. Then there was the fact that his amorous boyfriend would be with him all night and Yesung currently had zero will-power when it came to denying the younger anything he wanted.   
   
Kyuhyun leaned in and traced the back of his knuckles along Yesung's cheek, “You will let me stay; won't you, Hyung?”  
   
His mind screamed, _“No!”_ , he would be much too vulnerable, but his damn heart softened and he nodded in consent. Kyuhyun immediately tackled him with a hug and Yesung's heart lurched with an unfamiliar feeling.  
   
“What about your parents, Kyu? Won't they be worried that you're staying out on a school night?”  
   
Kyuhyun's smile dimmed slightly as he scrolled through his cellphone, “They won't even notice I'm gone, but I'll call and let my sister know I won't be home tonight and everything should be fine.”  
   
Yesung watched Kyuhyun curiously, he never seemed very happy whenever Yesung mentioned his parents. Maybe it was a sensitive subject, but Yesung wanted to know more about Kyuhyun.   
   
“Kyuhyun-ah, don't you get along with your parents?”    
   
Kyuhyun's eyes glazed over, “We get along just fine.”  
   
Yesung studied Kyuhyun in awkward silence, he was afraid to press Kyuhyun for more details, he wasn't sure how his boyfriend would react if he were to pry any deeper. He began to bite on his fingernails, he was anxious, he didn't want to risk pushing Kyuhyun out of his life. Kyuhyun tossed the cellphone aside and pulled Yesung's hand away from his mouth.  
   
“Don't do that, you're going to be left with nothing if you keep chewing.” Kyuhyun laced his fingers through Yesung's own and held on tightly.  
   
“Don't lecture me like a child,” Yesung cringed when his voice broke out in a slight whine.  
   
Kyuhyun pinched his cheek, “But you are such an adorable little kid.”  
   
“I'm older than you are!” Yesung huffed.  
   
“But you look like a baby,” Kyuhyun poked Yesung in the stomach and the latter shivered involuntarily. “Are you ticklish?”  
   
“No,” Yesung's flushed as he avoided eye contact.  
   
“Oh, I see.” Kyuhyun flexed his fingers and launched a tickling attack down Yesung's sides and all over Yesung's stomach.  
   
Yesung was a giggling, squealing mess. He tried pushing Kyuhyun away, he tried rolling out of reach, but there was no reprieve. He eventually begged for mercy.  
   
“Kyu...stop...please...I...c-can't breathe.”  
   
Kyuhyun was straddled across his lap when the tickling finally subsided, the younger stared down at him with intense brown eyes, “You shouldn't have lied. Now, what to do about your punishment?”  
   
Yesung's mouth ran dry at Kyuhyun's serious tone of voice. Kyuhyun shrugged out of his uniform jacket and tossed it to the ground before tugging on his maroon tie.  
   
“W-what are you doing?” Yesung was trapped beneath Kyuhyun and he was starting to panic.  
   
Kyuhyun unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt and smirked, “Making myself more comfortable.”  
   
Yesung traced the line of Kyuhyun's exposed collarbone with trembling fingers before the latter suddenly growled and pinned both of his arms down to the bed. Yesung's eyes darted up to Kyuhyun's own and his body shivered in anticipation as his boyfriend closed in for a kiss. It was tender, it was demanding, it was electrifying. A small sigh escaped Yesung's lips when Kyuhyun finally pulled away for air.  
   
“Being so close to you is testing my restraint.”  
   
“Kyu?”  
   
“But it hurts even more if I can't be near you.”  
   
Yesung smiled as he pulled Kyuhyun down for a hug, for the first time in a long time he belonged to someone and that person belonged to him. Yesung gently feathered his fingers through Kyuhyun's light brown hair as the younger buried his face in Yesung's neck. It was comforting to have someone with him, his apartment didn't feel quite so empty anymore. Yesung shifted his position and allowed Kyuhyun to have some space on his bed; they fell asleep entwined in each other's embrace.   
   
Yesung woke up in a daze as the sunlight seeped through his window blinds and blurred his vision. His bed was unusually warm that morning and he hummed sleepily. He reached up to scratch a slight tickle on the side of his neck when he heard a small snuffling noise that almost caused him to bolt out of the bed in alarm. It took him a few minutes to compose himself before he remembered that Kyuhyun had slept over the night before and his boyfriend had taken to clinging tightly while sleeping. Yesung could feel Kyuhyun's lips stretch into a smile against the hollow of his neck. He squirmed uncomfortably, Kyuhyun had picked a very ticklish spot to breathe on.  
   
“Kyuhyun-ah,” Yesung whispered. “It's morning.”  
   
Yesung tried to wake Kyuhyun by gently tapping his arm, but the younger just burrowed his face even closer to Yesung's skin and continued sleeping. Yesung tried to take a few calming breaths, but his heart just wouldn't settle down with Kyuhyun wrapped around him so intimately.   
   
“Kyuhyun-ah,” Yesung whispered again.  
   
There was no response from Kyuhyun, but Yesung felt a hand trace slowly down his back and gently knead his bottom.   
   
He smacked Kyuhyun on the arm, “Cut that out!”  
   
Kyuhyun laughed into Yesung's skin and rolled on top of Yesung while making sure not to press down on his injured ankle, “Good morning, Sunshine.”  
   
Yesung reached out and poked Kyuhyun's philtrum, his boyfriend backed away as if he had been burned. Yesung laughed gleefully and pushed the unbalanced Kyuhyun off of him and sent him tumbling to the floor.   
   
Kyuhyun pouted up at him, “That was cruel of you, Hyung.”  
   
“You deserved it,” Yesung smirked as he slipped out of bed and gingerly tested his weight on his bad ankle. He sighed with relief when there were no sharp pains shooting up his leg, but it was still badly swollen.  
   
Kyuhyun sat on the floor all bedhead and bleary eyed with his crumpled button up shirt slightly askew, leaving a flash of pale skin and defined collarbones in plain view. Yesung bit down on his lip, his boyfriend looked absolutely adorable and tempting with his grumpy morning face. He reached out and straightened out the collar of Kyuhyun's shirt with a smile.  
   
“I should have lent you some clothes to sleep in, your uniform is an absolute mess.”  
   
Kyuhyun yawned and shrugged, “I would have preferred to sleep naked, but...”  
   
Yesung smacked Kyuhyun in the arm and changed the subject, “Go get cleaned up, I'll make us some breakfast.”  
   
Kyuhyun watched as Yesung headed over to the kitchen and rummaged through the refrigerator for some ingredients. He smirked as Yesung pulled out a bowl and reached for some eggs, “But I would have preferred it if you were naked as well.”  
   
Yesung had completely crushed the egg he was about to crack after hearing his boyfriend's words and ended up serving an omelet full of eggshells for breakfast.  
 

\- - -

   
The whole school was buzzing when Kyuhyun escorted Yesung to school that morning. The junior was obviously injured and the freshman clung onto him as if his life depended on it. Groups of girls were hovering about, trying to get close enough to Yesung to ask him about his injury, but Kyuhyun shot nasty glares whenever they tried so they all kept their distance. Gossip spread like wildfire, especially when Kyuhyun kissed Yesung on the forehead before departing for the first floor classrooms. The anguished screams of brokenhearted girls echoed through the hallways and Yesung quickly ducked into the classroom with a bright blush staining his face.  
   
Sungmin sat down next to Yesung with a smirk plastered to his face, “I was going to ask you how your ankle was doing, but now I'm more curious about what just happened in front of the classroom.”  
   
Yesung hid his face behind his hands, “Nothing happened.”  
   
“Sure, that's why your face is the color of a tomato and Kyuhyun looked like he was floating on cloud nine. I guess all of his stalking finally paid off. Are you guys officially dating now?” Sungmin studied Yesung's reaction and grinned. “By the way, why does Kyuhyun's uniform look so crumpled this morning? It looks like he didn't even bother to go home...did he stay over?”  
   
Yesung was frozen stiff and the whole classroom went silent. Sungmin turned to glare at their classmates over his shoulder, “If you're all going to eavesdrop, do it less obviously.” Thirty heads quickly turned away from them as the other students busied themselves with unfinished homework or played around with their cellphones.  
   
Yesung cuffed Sungmin in the ear, “Min! I'd rather the whole school not know everything about my love life.”  
   
“The false rumors would be much worse than the truth anyway,” Sungmin rubbed his ear and started giggling. “Love life, huh? You _dawg_ , you sure move fast for someone that hasn't dated in years.”  
   
“Sungmin! Nothing happened!”  
   
Sungmin shrugged, “Whatever you say, but there are girls already mourning in the hallway.”  
   
Yesung groaned and tried to hide his face behind a textbook, “How am I ever going to survive this?”  
  


	12. The Stage

Most things came naturally to Kyuhyun and he possessed enough determination to obtain the things that did not. Things were finally looking up for Kyuhyun, or so he thought. Yesung was his and he had the perfect excuse to monopolize the elder's time and that's all that really mattered. He had been so focused on wooing Yesung for the better half of the first semester that he didn't pay much attention to anything else; and if he thought that everything would be smooth sailing from there on out, he was sorely mistaken. There were a great many things that Cho Kyuhyun excelled at, but being generous with his boyfriend's time and curbing his jealousy were not amongst his virtues. He would lock Yesung in a room and throw away the key if he could.

Yesung's popularity didn't suffer in the slightest after agreeing to a same sex relationship, but it was social suicide for a no-name first year like Kyuhyun and he didn't care. He had expected some backlash, he didn't expect people to be accepting of a same sex relationship especially since Kyuhyun was more than happy to stake his claim openly; but what he didn't expect were all the jealous glares. He knew Yesung was popular with the girls, the second year student still got love letters stuffed into his locker everyday, but there was a sudden explosion of love letters from other _boys_ as well. So Kyuhyun had to deal with the jealous hisses from girls that blamed him for dashing their hopes as well as the envious glares from boys that were vying for Yesung's attention. He felt like the whole school was trying to sabotage their relationship. The only person that seemed to be on their side was Sungmin, but Sungmin was Yesung's best friend and Kyuhyun needed someone else to confide in, especially when it came down to how he should seduce his own boyfriend. Kyuhyun was getting sexually frustrated.

\- - -

Yesung took a deep breath, his chest hurt, it constricted and he felt trapped. They started the curtain call and he froze in place. He had never experienced stage fright before and it confused him. It wasn't as if he had never performed before a live audience before, he was the choir club's president after all, but there was something about performing the musical that had him on edge.

He pulled on his long wig with trembling fingers and mumbled under his breath repeatedly. He was going to be okay, everything was okay, everything was going to work out. Yesung let out an exasperated sigh and started bouncing on the balls of his feet in agitation. Where was all this nervous energy coming from? He felt a dark cloud close in on the corner of his vision. He started panting, he was going to faint, he panicked, he was definitely going to faint.

A warm hand enveloped his own and a deep honey-coated voice whispered in his ear. "You're just perfect."

Yesung finally exhaled, that tight breath that he couldn't get past his chapped lips was finally released. He pressed down on his tense stomach, trying to forget the painful cramps and smiled into the mirror. He hadn't eaten or slept in days and he was afraid his insecurities were beginning to show, but Kyuhyun always knew what to say to bring him back down to earth.

"I can't wait to hear you sing," Kyuhyun said as he squeezed Yesung into a tight hug.

Yesung nodded, "I'll do my best."

Yesung took a few quick, short breaths. He flexed his fingers and wrapped his hands around the wooden staff that was his weapon and replayed the choreography in his head. Sungmin would kill him if he failed now. The first run through was during rush week and it generated a lot of interest for both the drama club and the choir, but that was only a preview. This time it was opening night and he would have to perform for a full two hours, the mere thought of it made Yesung feel a bit woozy.

Sometimes, Yesung just wanted to fade into the background, but if he didn't take the chance to shine now he would never have another chance to. New students enrolled every year and they were younger and even more talented. Whatever advantage that he had had before with his naturally husky voice was slowly fading and hard work could only get you so far when compared with raw talent. He needed to shine for two more years. He needed the recognition in order to enter the college of his dreams and then the possibility of pursuing a career in the performing arts was feasible. Even if he never got the chance to debut as a singer, he could be immersed in music for the rest of his life. He could learn to produce and he could practice his composing. The possibilities were endless, he would just have grit his teeth and endure the uphill battle.

Yesung swallowed all his fears and insecurities, there was no time for such nonsense now, the stage was calling. He cast a furtive backwards glance at Kyuhyun, the younger man was his pillar, but how long could their relationship really last? Even if Kyuhyun assured him every minute of every day that they would always be together, Yesung couldn't rely on Kyuhyun forever. He tried to convince himself that everything would work out, but how long could this kind of happiness last? Reality was usually a harsh slap to the face, but he didn't want his own pessimism to destroy the best thing that has happened to him in a long a long time. Yesung reminded himself just to relax a little and stop worrying about everything that he could possibly lose. He needed focus on the positive things. He still had his voice, he was still popular enough to shine for this brief moment, and at the end of the day he had someone that constantly reminded him that he was loved.

The stage manager motioned to Yesung frantically. Yesung felt like he was floating. He couldn't even feel his own feet as he stepped forward and it was scaring him. He burst out onto the stage and as the first notes left his lips, his training and practice took over. Everything felt right, he poured out his heart and soul onto stage until nothing else was left. He thrived under the blinding lights and the roar of approval; this was his purpose in life. In moments like these he could be a shining star, but when the lights dim and he comes crashing back down to earth, would he be all alone? Yesung hated the dark and loathed the silence that always came at the end of a production, but this time warm arms were waiting for him and warm kisses swept him off his feet. Yesung thought this reality was really too good to be true, so he squeezed his eyes shut as Kyuhyun kissed him and commended him on a job well done.


End file.
